Song by Song is a podcast celebrating the music of Tom Waits, hosted by podcaster-musician Martin Zaltz Austwick and actor-musician Sam Pay. Sam and Martin set themselves the goal of listening to Tom Waits’s back catalogue from beginning to end, and devoting an episode to discussing each track. Song by Song is in no way officially linked to Tom Waits, or endorsed by Tom Waits, or associates. All excerpts are used for criticism purposes - please purchase your own copies of the music at your favourite shop, app, or platform to get the full experience and support musicians' work.
http://songbysong.libsyn.com/website
Gesamtlänge aller Episoden: 6 days 3 hours 32 minutes
recommended podcasts
episode 10: Big Black Mariah, Big Time, Tom Waits [153]
Our man-on-the-street Eric Molinsky returns to revisit Big Black Mariah, talking about lyric comprehension and the quality of Waits's voice in relation to bed frames and animated characters. Song by Song is Martin Zaltz Austwick and Sam Pay; two...
episode 11: Rain Dogs, Big Time, Tom Waits [154]
Slightly blown away by this reinterpretation of Waits's mid-80s classic, Martin and Sam join in by celebrating this eastern-Europe/klezmer dance number. We also take some more time to discuss sticking to or pulling away from the strict rhythm of the...
episode 12: Train Song, Big Time, Tom Waits [155]
Sam once again starts off an episode with an extended theory about the dramatic structure that lives between this song and the dumb story about conception-by-musket… if you'd like to skip this, please begin the episode at the two-minute mark....
episode 13: Johnsburg, Illinois, Big Time, Tom Waits [156]
Cub reporter Philippa Spanos returns to revisit another Swordfishtrombones track, the tender ballad for his wife Kathleen, now with added concluding harmony! Back at the SbS ranch, Martin and Sam think about Waits's vocal shift upwards, theorise about...
episode 14: Ruby's Arms, Big Time, Tom Waits [157]
Returning from Heartattack & Vine, Vera Chok delivers her report for this live version of Ruby’s arms, angry at the recapitulation of the disconnected dismissive attitude Waits has towards Ruby. Meanwhile Martin struggles with the cognitive...
episode 15: Telephone Call from Istanbul, Big Time, Tom Waits [158]
Having already cited it as a strong reinterpretation several times throughout this season, Martin and Sam celebrate this party version of Waits’s weird telephone call. Song by Song is Martin Zaltz Austwick and Sam Pay; two musicians listening to and...
episode 16: Clap Hands, Big Time, Tom Waits [159]
Helen Zaltzman returns to take another listen to this track from Rain Dogs, now with 100% more terrifying childcatcher. More deprioritised lyrics here, and as Waits works more to enhance the sinister feel of the song, we discuss some of its...
episode 17: Gun Street Girl, Big Time, Tom Waits [160]
Sam and Martin head into the final tracks of the Big Time album struggling with the energy of this version of Gun Street Girl, as well as questioning the purpose of a narrative song that seems to be uninterested in its own narrative. Song by Song is...
episode 18: Time, Big Time, Tom Waits [161]
As we reach the end of the album, Waits produces a great version of this quiet mournful tune, for once communicating the meaning and poetry of the lyrics in a clearer and more connected way. Song by Song is Martin Zaltz Austwick and Sam Pay; two...
episode 19: Franks Wild Years, Big Time [film], Tom Waits [162]
As we dive into the first of the Big Time film-only tracks, Martin and Sam look at the imagery in the film as well as the looser feel of the lyrics in this later interpretation of the life of Frank O'Brien. Song by Song is Martin Zaltz Austwick and...